By Paidashe Mandivengerei
Government has provided US$9.3 million towards waterworks to be conducted at Lake Manyame where Harare and surrounding satellite towns will now draw their water.
This comes after city council recently announced that Morton Jaffray Water Plant would stop harnessing water from the heavily polluted Lake Chivero which cost them over US$2 million a month on water treatment chemicals only and instead use Lake Manyame that has cleaner water.
Addressing journalists at a post-cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Information Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa said citizens caught polluting water sources would be heavily fined.
“Cabinet resolved that Harare City Council draws water from Lake Manyame; that Treasury avails US$9.3 million for urgent works at Manyame and Warren Control Pump Station, which are to be completed in two months. The installation of appropriate water meters will be undertaken concurrently with the cited works; that Chemplex Corporation is allocated enough foreign currency to import water treatment chemicals; that Government provides loan guarantees for the various water and sanitation projects to be undertaken by local authorities using the various project procurement methods that suit their specific requirements.
Hefty fines are imposed on polluters of water sources and that local authority be allowed to sign the various agreements that will ensure the supply of adequate and affordable potable water to the public while ensuring recovery of funds advanced to local authorities by Government.”
